cherry

noun

cher·​ry ˈcher-ē 

ˈche-rē

plural cherries

1

a

: any of numerous trees and shrubs (genus Prunus) of the rose family that bear pale yellow to deep red or blackish smooth-skinned drupes enclosing a smooth seed and that include some cultivated for their fruits or ornamental flowers compare sour cherry, sweet cherry

b

: the fruit of a cherry

c

: the reddish-brown wood of a cherry

especially : black cherry sense 2

2

: a variable color averaging a moderate red

3

informal

a

: hymen

b

: virginity

4

informal : the burning end of a lit cigarette or cigar

I'm horrified: Dag is burning holes in the roof of the car with the cherry of his cigarette.

—Douglas Coupland

"Oh lord. Be quiet and maybe he won't find me. Put out your cigarette, Ryder, he'll see the cherry."

—Julie Buntin

cherrylike

ˈcher-ē-ˌlīk 

ˈche-rē-

adjective

Examples of cherry in a Sentence

The kitchen cabinets are made of cherry.

Recent Examples on the Web

And some tree fruits, such as mulberries and cherries, can leave stains on siding, roofs, and decks that are difficult to remove. —Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Mar. 2025

The nation's capital boasts approximately 3,800 cherry trees near the National Mall, a century-old gift of friendship from the people of Japan. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 27 Mar. 2025

The colors in this series—seafoam, cherry, ultramarine—are almost explosive in contrast to the earthy palettes elsewhere. —Jeremy Lybarger, ARTnews.com, 26 Mar. 2025

The finish is long with a layered complexity and lingering cherry and dark fruit notes. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English chery, from Anglo-French cherise, cirice (taken as a plural), from Late Latin ceresia, from Latin cerasus cherry tree, from Greek kerasos

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing cherry

• bing cherry
• black cherry
• cherry bomb
• cherry-pick
• cherry picker
• cherry tomato
• ground-cherry
• Jerusalem cherry
• sour cherry
• sweet cherry

Rhymes for cherry

• aerie
• airy
• arie
• barre
• clary
• dairy
• eyrie
• faerie
• faery
• fairy
• ferry
• hairy

Kids Definition

cherry

noun

cher·​ry ˈcher-ē 

plural cherries

1

a

: any of numerous trees and shrubs that are related to the roses and have rather small pale yellow to deep blackish red smooth-skinned fruits

b

: the fruit of a cherry

c

: the reddish brown wood of a cherry

2

: a medium red

Etymology

Middle English chery "a cherry," from early French cherise "the cherry" (mistaken as being a plural), derived from Latin cerasus "cherry tree"

Medical Definition

cherry

noun

cher·​ry ˈcher-ē 

plural cherries

1

: any of numerous trees and shrubs (genus Prunus) of the rose family that bear pale yellow to deep red or blackish smooth-skinned drupes enclosing a smooth seed and that belong to any of several varieties including some cultivated for their fruits or ornamental flowers

2

: the fruit of a cherry